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Have you noticed anything different about Los Angeles lately? Something unusual, out of place? An infestation, if you will, but one…that is musical in nature?

For the past couple weeks the city has become home for the latest installation of Play Me, I’m Yours, a sprawling, free public art installation, where 30 pianos painted by local artists will be placed in high-traffic public spaces around the city – and anyone can play them! The project was conceived by a London artist, then went to NYC, and is now in Los Angeles. You can view all the piano locations here – most of them can be found Downtown, but there are a few mid-city, a couple in Santa Monica, even ones in Torrance and Burbank. The piano I would especially like to point out to you is outside of the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.(more…)

I’ll be honest, Spanish Prisoners isn’t the standard fare that makes me take stand up and notice. They are dreamy, hazy and meandering, and from Brooklyn – usually a lethal combination for me. Much of their debut album Gold Fools, doesn’t accomplish anything I haven’t heard before, but yet…is strangely pleasant and compelling.(more…)

Most of us have holiday traditions that we have adhered to since childhood. Watching a particular movie (Albert Finney’s 1970 version of Scrooge). Attending the same neighborhood Christmas Eve fete. My brother and I knew that no matter how early we woke up we would have to say a prayer before our antique nativity scene before we could even see our haul from Santa. When everything else had been torn open, we would always find a Clementine at the bottom of our stockings.

It is impossible to imagine Christmas without these rituals. The first time it was suggested that we maybe open presents on Christmas Eve (rather than Christmas morning), the idea was treated as blasphemy and shot down almost immediately.

Holiday music retains an equally precious place in our hearts. From hymns and carols (“O Come All Ye Faithful”) to modern classics (“All I Want For Christmas Is You”) creating new versions of these old favorites is a delicate proposition. Done incorrectly and the listener feels violated; that scene in The Santa Clause where Scott Calvin is utterly horrified to see Santa Claus ditching his sleigh for a panzer.

HELLO!

Amanda Krieg Thomas is a Music Supervisor in Los Angeles at leading music supervision company, Neophonic Music & Media.

Tadpole Audio is her personal blog of industry advice, news, and sometimes even music she likes (and thinks you might as well!) All opinions are her own. Her music supervision credits can be found here, and professional bio can be found here.

She also enjoys craft beer, entertaining friends, good coffee, living on the border of Silverlake and Echo Park, but being a Connecticut girl at heart, adventures large and small with her husband and two cats, roadtrips, spin, yoga, and brunch.